31 Then Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre and went through Sidon, down to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis. 32 There some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk, and they begged Jesus to place his hand on him.
33 After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then he spit and touched the man’s tongue. 34 He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means “Be opened!”). 35 At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly.
36 Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone. But the more he did so, the more they kept talking about it. 37 People were overwhelmed with amazement. “He has done everything well,” they said. “He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”
Jesus continues his foray into Gentile territory and enters the region of the Decapolis. The sick and possessed and their families continue to seek him out for help.
In a scene reminiscent of the friends who bring the paralytic to Jesus in Jewish territory, a man who is deaf and unable to speak is brought before Jesus. These people who care about the deaf and dumb man beg Jesus to touch him. Jesus has shown that he can heal in a variety of ways--he can touch, speak and even do it remotely (the woman's daughter in the story that immediately precedes this one), but it appears that most people believe that a touch is necessary. And yet in this case, a simple touch will not be enough.
Jesus removes the man from the crush of the crowd. It is as if he hopes to keep what will happen here private, but as we have followed along with Jesus in Mark, we know that there is little chance that this will succeed. And then, Jesus begins the most elaborate healing so far in the gospel. It involves touch, saliva, prayer and words. In previous cases, it has been just enough for Jesus to command a person to stand or for him to be unwittingly touched to bring a cure. But now, it is almost as if the healing has become more difficult. Too emphasize this, Mark includes the unusual detail that before Jesus speaks "Ephphatha", he lets loose a deep sigh. Is he still tired and unable to find rest from the swirling vortex of need that always centers around him? Is it a hint that the focus of the gospel is about to turn away from healing? Is he frustrated that he comes to announce the Kingdom of God, but everyone focuses on the dramatic cures?
Despite the difficulty, the healing is successful. The man can hear and speak clearly. The outcome is ironic because Jesus will tell him not to tell anyone, but he does exactly the opposite. When he finally can hear, he doesn't listen. When he is told to be silent he speaks. The healed man entirely misuses the gifts that God has given him. Maybe that is why it is such an effort for Jesus to heal him, he knows that the deaf and dumb man will use his new found health to serve his own purposes rather than follow God's instruction.
Jesus commands everyone to keep it quiet, but the people are disobedient. Everyone is amazed, Mark tells us, which is a word that has occurred before. It is a response to the power of God, but not the one God wants. God wants obedience and worship rather than amazement. Jesus makes the deaf hear and the mute speak but they don't listen to what he commands and they talk about what he asks them to be silent about. The storm clouds are forming on the horizon.
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